1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to vehicle signals which are generated to become visible and recognizable as turn signals while the vehicle's 4-way hazard warning lights are operating.
2. Description of Prior Technology and Problem
US passenger vehicles and light trucks are required by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to have flashing 4-way emergency hazard lights to warn approaching vehicles of the presence of an existing or imminent road hazard caused by a slowly moving or stopped vehicle. This hazard signal alerts approaching drivers to slow down and proceed with caution to avoid rear end crashes or other unsafe consequences during emergency or hazardous conditions.
Copending application Ser. No. 12/136,370, entitled CONTINUOUS ENHANCED VEHICLE HAZARD WARNING LIGHTS, filed by one of the present co-applicants, details the enormous losses in life, injuries, property damage and economic costs that are experienced every year in the USA from rear end crashes. That application is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. 7,352,278 issued Apr. 1, 2008 to assignee, Tritel, LLC, also cites the source of the accident statistics and is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.
Both the incorporated application and the patent describe enhancement of the hazard warning lights by generating flashing lights in a triangular configuration in the rear of a slowly moving or stopped vehicle. Such modifications are more attention getting and alerting than conventional rear hazard lighting. Therefore, those innovations are ways of reducing or avoiding rear end crashes and thus improve highway safety.
Even with the advent of such improvements there is yet another difficulty with the conventional 4-way hazard lighting that is the focus of the present invention. In particular, when either the conventional or above cited improved hazard lights are operating, the vehicle no longer has the capability to give turn signals to approaching traffic. This is because usually the same flasher that activates the flashing 4-way hazard lights is also used to generate conventional left or right vehicle turn signal lights. Furthermore, the left and right vehicle turn signal lights typically are simultaneously flashed to generate the 4-way hazard lights. Therefore, when the emergency lamps are flashing, they mask attempts to display a turn signal.
In many hazardous conditions, a line of slowly moving or stationary vehicles often develops due to obstruction of a road or highway by an accident or stalled vehicle or other extraordinary situation ahead. Vehicles also occasionally must travel at unusually slow speeds, for example, due to mechanical problems, weather conditions or because they are towing a heavy trailer. Drivers confronted with such situations often need to warn oncoming traffic of the hazardous conditions by using their 4-way flashers. If, however, such drivers simultaneously need to turn, they have no effective way of signaling their intent to undertake such maneuvers. Therefore, there is a need for achieving an added measure of safety by providing a signal that will inform others not only of a hazardous situation, but also that the vehicle with its hazard lights flashing is about to turn left or right.